Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-01-20
HIGH MANuR,Nc.

| oS0d MANORlNG.
The Portions ~ tho Farm which SHOULD
Receive LIBERAL Supplies Of Fertilizers.
dissertations in various parts Of the
West shows that the majority of farmers
! scatter the manure obtained from their
barns and feeding-yards over all the
land they cultivate without much re-
gard to the crop they intend to raise.
Ii they keep considerable stock and
cultivate but few acres the land is
well MANFRED. Ii they keep but a
small number of animals, are at little
pains to save their droppings. and have
large amount of land under cultiva-
ton. each acre receives but a small
quantity of stable manure. In some
cases the amount applied is SO small
that 1t can scarcely be noticed after it
is spread over the surface of the ground.
In the attempt to enrich all the land
that is to be plowed No portion of it re-
ceivcs enough manure to make any
marked increase in the yield of the
crop planted. The garden spot, and
the fields that are to be devoted to the
production of corn. potatoes and small
grains are all visited by the dung-cart,
and all receive some of its contents.
but none of them are fertilized to an
extent that will insure very large crops.
ANY amount of manure. however small,
is. of course, of advantage to land. 1t
restores some of the elements of fertili-
ty that We're removed by growing the
last crop. 1t prevents it from becon-
ing less productive year by year, as is
likely to be the case when no manure
is applied. If the amount of manure
that is applied to piece of land one
season is only equal in value to the
amount of fertilizing material that was
consumed in producing the last crop.
the soil receives no permanent benefit.
Neither will the quantity nor quality Of
the crop be improved. Only by high
manuring can the soil be improved for
a series of years and made to produce
crops that are both large and of excel
lent quality.
1t Is folly to expect to raise certain
| crops unless the soil where they are
planted are very rich. Western farmers
generally fail to make their gardens
| profitable or to raise superior vege-
/ tables in them for the reason that they
do not apply sufficient amount OF
suitable manure to them. They put
! no more manure on an acre of land
that is intended to produce roots,
tomatoes, squashes. cucumber, onions,
cabbage and caulihOwer than they do
on the same amount of land that is in
tended to produce corn. They seem to
forget, or not to be aware. of the fact
that nearly all garden products are
very gross feeders. They also appear
to be ignorant of the fact that veg
etables in order to be of superior quail
ity must be quickly grown. and that
rapid growth is chiefly produced by a
large amount Of fcrtilizing material in
the soil. Gardeners, who make bus.
mess of raising vegetables for the city
market, appreciate the value of ma
nure. The land they till resembles
dung heap or the barn-yard of lazy
farmer who has made himself think
that it does not pay to haul manure
into the fields. They aim to bring a
load of manure to their gardens every
time they take load of vegetables tc
market. They never seem to think
that their land is quite rich enough.
Farmers who raise sweet corn and to-
matOcs for canning establishments and
cucumbers and cauliflOwcrs for picket
factories appreciate the value Of high
manuring. They have learned from
experience or from their neighbors who
have been long in the business. They
understand that they can double the
product of their land by the judicious
application of fertilizers, and that there
is great saving of labor in having but
few acres under cultivation: They
have also learned that crops on highly
MANFRED land mature early, are of sup
erior quality and bring better price
than those raised on poor soil.
All land intended to produce crops
that require much cultivation should
be- very highly MANFRED. Especially
is this the case with those that must be
thinned out by hand, transplanted or
worked with hand hoe. Among these
plants are onions. beets, carrots,
tomatoes. cabbage and cauliflower. A
large amount of hand work is required
to raise any of these vegetables, and
on that account the soil should be made
to produce as much rs possible. The
requirements of the garden in the mat
ter of fertilizers should be first attended
to. and then those of the land that is to
be devoted to the production of carrots,
beets, cabbage and pumpkins for feed
ing to stock. Most of the manure
remaining should then be applied to
fields in which cultivated crops. like |
corn and potatoes, are to be raised. A
field which by the application of suf-
ticient amount of manure will produce /,
eiphty bushels of corn nor acre will